Gearless electric locomotive



(No Model.)

G. J. VAN DEPOBLE, Deod. C. A. COFFIN & A. WAHL, Administrators. GEARLESS ELEGTRIG LOGOMOTIVE.

gqtented Nov; 20, 1894. Q

Charles .I Winflefiqqla Gamma/1 UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

- CHARLES .LVAN DEPOELE, or LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS; c. A. corrm AND ALBERT WAHL, ADMINISTRATORS or SAID VAN DEPOELE,.DECEAS,ED, ASSIGNORS TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS.

GEARLESS EWLVECTRIC LO'COMOTIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 529,671, dated November 20, 1894.

Application filed June 3,1891. Renewed September 17, 1894. .serial No. 523,268. (No model.)

siding at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Gearless Electric Locomotives, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in the mounting of electric motors with respect to the axles and wheels driven thereby and it refers particularly to that class in which the revolving part of the motor surrounds the axle and resilient power-transmitting and supportingconnections are interposed between the said motor and the driving wheels. The motor is mounted upon a sleeve which surrounds the axle and the revolving part of said motor, whether armature or field magnets, is fixed upon the said sleeve. Thestationary part of the motor is either journaled upon the sleeve or is so constructed as to al- 2 5 low the sleeve to rotate freely therein. The

sleeve is considerably larger. upon its interior than the diameterv of the axle, so that there may be movement of the axle within the sleeve. The sleeve is connected to flanges 0 or rims upon the driving wheels near their peripheries by a resilient connection and it is entirely independent of the axle so that when the motor is imparting movement to the sleeve, the driving power will be trans- 3 5 mitteddirectly from said sleeve to the driving wheels through the resilient connections. The said connections support the sleeve and motors carried thereby upon the Wheels but independent of the axles. By means of this 0 combination the vibration caused by the wheels running over rough places in the track will not aifect the driving motor or motors, the vibration being taken up by the said elastic connections.

5 In connection with the above device I have shown a simple and efiective means for retaining the motors in working position with respect to the axles which they actuate;

In the drawingsFigure 1, is a side elevators. and B, B, and B are all flexible. stationary part of the motors lugs Z, Z, Z, Z, ex;

I tend through thebars B, B, loosely engagingy yo them. As will be readily understood, the x tion' of two motors embodying my invention. 50.

whichever direction theyare revolving. The

wheelson the near side are removed and the axles a, a, are seen in section. The flexible frame consists of parallel bars 13, B, at the top and bottom of the motors and end bars B, B, connecting them to each other. A central bar B is also shown between the mo- The connections between the b rs B, Fronnthe motors may revohve in either direction and the first jar of starting will be taken up by thespring frame and the motors will be held in operative position and apply their power to the driven Wheels steadily and continuously.

As seen in Fig. 2. A, is the armature of the motor M, and it is fixed directly to the sleeve T. The field magnets F, are also placed upon the sleeve T, but are provided with bearings allowing the said sleeve to rotate within them. Any suitable type of motor may be used and that shown is merely by way of illustration, although such a relative positioning of the armature and field magnets would be very practical.

The wheels W, W, are constructed with flanges or rims w, w, upon their inner faces and the sleeve T, has a collar or flange G, or, as seen in Fig. 3, lugs L, and between the collar or lugs and the flange w, are radial springs s. These springs are fitted into slots at, in the flange w, in which they have a limited longitudinal play. The springs 3, should 95 be made as strong as the condition of the track will admit of. With a very smooth track stronger springs may be used and a sleeve of smaller diameter, whereas, with a rough track, more resilient or flexible springs and a sleeve of greater diameter will be necessary in order that the sleeve and axle shall not come into contact with each other while in motion.

Fig. 4 shows a somewhat dilferent means for transmitting the power from the sleeve T, to the flange to. Here the collar 0, carries a number of rigid arms R, and the flange w, is extended inward to form recesses G, into which the ends of the arms R, extend. Between the arms R, and the sides of the recesses G, are fixed cushions r, of rubber or its equivalent. This arrangement will operate in substantially the same manner as that shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be understood that many modifications may be made in the device shown without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore restrict myself to the exact details described.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. An electric motor for cars mounted upon a sleeve surrounding the axle and sustained by springs secured to the wheels.

2. The combination with an axle and wheels thereon, of a driving motor therefor having its armature suspended from said wheels and a spring driving connection extending between the armatnre and the wheels and carrying the armature independent of the axle or other support.

3. The combination with an axle and wheels thereon, of a driving motor therefor having its armature suspended from said wheels and a spring driving connection extending between the armatnre and the wheels and can rying the armature independent of the axle or other support.

4. The combination in an electric locomotive with an axle and wheels thereon, ofa sleeve surrounding said axle, a motor carried by said sleeve, and resilient power transmitting devices connecting the said sleeve directly to the driven wheels and supporting it therefrom.

5. The combination in an electric locomotive, of an axle and wheels thereon, a sleeve surrounding said axle, a driving motorsecured upon and carried by said sleeve and a resilient driving andsupporting connection extending between the sleeve and the wheels to be driven and affording a yielding support for the sleeve and motor.

6. The combination inan electric locomotive with an axle and wheels thereon, of a 'sleeve surrounding said axle and independent thereof, a motor thereon, radial arms near the ends of said sleeve, and springs sustaining said arms and connecting them to the driven wheels.

7. The combination in an electric locomotive with the wheels and axles thereof, of motors concentric with the axles, a flexible frame surrounding and secured to the non rotating parts of the motors, nose plates extending from the stationary or non-rotating parts of the motors, and retaining springs between the nose plates and the flexible frame.

8. In an electric locomotive, an axle, driven wheels fixed thereon, said wheels formed with suitable treads and provided also with extensions on their inner sides, a sleeve concentric with the axle, resilient connections between the ends of the sleeve and the extensions of the wheels, a driving motor carried upon and rotating the sleeve and wheels, said resilient connections also supporting the sleeve and motor.

9. In an electric locomotive in combination with an axle and wheels thereon to be driven, said wheels provided with flanges on their inner faces, of a sleeve surrounding said axle but wholly independent thereof, a driving metor carried upon said sleeve, and resilient driving connections between the ends of the sleeve and the inner flanges of the wheels to be driven, said connections supporting the sleeve and motor.

10. In an electric locomotive the combination of driving wheels fixed upon the axle or axles, flanges upon the inner faces of said dniving wheels and formed with sockets or recesses to receive power connections, a sleeve or sleeves concentric with but independent of the axle or axles, an electric motor or motors mounted upon the sleeve or sleeves for driving said wheels and resilient supporting and driving connections between the ends of the sleeve or sleeves and the recesses in said flanges.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE.

Witnesses:

J NO. L. MARTIN, CHAS. L. WAKEFIELD.

ICO 

